Who Should I Start? Christian McCaffrey or Alvin Kamara

Saturday, December 20, 6:03 AM

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey will put a four-game touchdown streak on the line in Week 16 against the Colts. Last week, Indianapolis held Seahawks running backs Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet out of the end zone, but had given up at least one rushing touchdown to a running back in each of their six previous games. McCaffrey appears to be clear of the back injury that made him a surprising late addition to the 49ers' injury report last week, and should see plenty of work on Monday night. If Ricky Pearsall (knee/ankle) is unable to play, then CMC would likely reemerge as a candidate to lead the team in targets, as he has done six times already in 2025. Fantasy football managers should watch for the 49ers' final injury report, but assuming McCaffrey is fully healthy, he has the potential for a top-3 finish at his position.

Friday, December 19, 2:32 PM

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (knee, ankle) was not spotted during the open portion of Friday's practice, signifying a near certainty that he will miss his fourth consecutive game. With rookie Devin Neal (hamstring) placed on Injured Reserve earlier this week, the Saints' backfield will now be led by second and third-year runners Audric Estime and Evan Hull. With Neal prematurely exiting the team's Week 15 win over the Panthers, it was Estime who out-snapped and out-touched Hull. Although Hull's calling card coming out of college was his receiving ability, it was also Estime who saw three targets to Hull's zero. It's always risky relying on in-game adjustments to predict how a backfield will be split with a full week of preparation, but Estime appears to be the New Orleans running back with the most value heading into a favorable Week 16 matchup with the Jets. Still, it should come as no surprise if Hull is worked in more as the team's dedicated passing back.